This invention relates generally to a system and method for interactive distance teaching and learning to enable students to increase their knowledge and proficiency in test examinations.
Over time, numerous educational methods and theories of teaching and training for examination, have developed, these including live instructions, voice means, audio means, pictures, animation, symbolism, analogy, and repetition.
With the advent of the computer age, modern adaptations of these methods have appeared in the form of software, examples of which appear in U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,114 (1999) to Erickson, entitled Method of Teaching Formulation of Mathematical Word Problems, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,297 (2000) to Liberman, entitled Method of Teaching an Examinee to Take a Multiple Choice Examination. Certain teaching methods, and software supportive thereof, particularly stress the importance of interactivity between the student and teacher. Such methods, and expert training software to facilitate the same are reflected in such patents as U.S. Pat. No. 5.441,415 (1995) to Lee, et al, entitled Interactive Computer Aided Natural earning Method and Apparatus, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,486 (2000) to Nichols, entitled System Method and Article of Manufacture for a Goal Based System utilizing an Activity Table.
Notwithstanding sophisticated software, as is reflected in the above, few systems have appeared which are both interactive in real time and which are suitable for use with distance learning through means of the worldwide global network, hereinafter referred to as the Internet. This is particularly the case with respect to teaching situations where the goal is to train students in the taking of examinations without compromise of the cognitive educational experience. It is well known that, while a given student may have gained, whether through the classroom experience or otherwise, substantial knowledge with respect to a particular subject, the same does not infer that such a student is capable of expressing such understanding in terms of proficiency in the taking of an examination with reference to such subject. Accordingly, the art of training a student to take examinations has evolved as one different and apart from generalized methods of education, whether they are implemented in the classroom, by television, video, Internet, or other means. In view thereof, the present invention can be understood in terms of its primary focus, that is, an Internet-based method and system to train students in particular skills that are applicable in the taking of examinations.
The present invention provides a system of interactive distance learning and examination training comprising a website having a graphical user interface; an archival training database accessible from said web site, said training database containing a menu of levels of practice examinations accessible through said graphical user interface; a module interface means which notifies a teacher or artificial intelligence module that a student has logged onto said website; a mean for selection by said student of one of said examinations from said practice examination; a means to enable a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface; a means for providing selectable on line student help options available to a student after an examination has commenced; a means for evaluation of student answers; and a means for generating performance displays of said student the examination selected by said student and a database for storing information associated with each examination taken by said student.
The system also provides that the means for providing selectable student help options comprises options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review of multiple possible solutions. In addition, the system provides that the means for evaluation of student responses comprises changing the difficulty level of questions contained in said examination while the student is taking the examination.
The present invention also provides a method of an interactive distance learning and examination training comprising providing a website having a graphical user interface; providing an archival training database accessible from said web site, said training database containing a menu of levels of practice examinations accessible through said graphical user interface; providing a module interface means which notifies a teacher or artificial intelligence module that a student has logged onto said website; selecting by said student of one of said examinations from said practice examination; enabling a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface; providing selectable on line student help options available to a student after an examination has commenced; evaluating of the student answers; and generating performance displays of said student the examination selected by said student and a database for storing information associated with each examination taken by said student.
Moreover, the method provides selectable student help options comprises options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review of multiple possible solutions. Still further the method of evaluating of student answers comprises changing the difficulty level of questions contained in said examination while the student is taking the examination.
Still further the method provides enabling a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface comprises a keystroke, audio response, graphic display, web TV interface, graphical user interface pointer or touch screen means, and mouse.
The advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Brief Description of the Drawings and Detailed Description of the Invention set forth herein.